Remarks upon the report of the Metropolitan Commissioners on Lunatic Asylums.

Date:
1845
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Remarks upon the report of the Metropolitan Commissioners on Lunatic Asylums. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    active, and philanthropic conduct should be offered, and no opportunities for the admission of abuse should on any account be favoured. Everything should be so ordered as to excite a high guiding principle; an interest beyond that of self should especially be encouraged in the managers of establishments des¬ tined for the reception of the most afflicted of our species. Could hospitals for incurables be founded without departing from these axioms in legislation? What character of individuals would offer as superintendents ? Could they have any other motive in taking office than that of emolument? Would there be sufficient interest felt in the establishment, on the part of the committee of management, to secure frequent and vigilant visitation ? In cases of abuse, neglect or cruel treatment, how could it find tongue, when none are discharged from the institution ? One of the best checks to abuse, in our establishments for the insane, is to be found in the patients discharged recovered, who can speak openly and freely of the doings within the walls. These are points worthy of the consideration of the legislature, before they enter on the experiment of establishing houses destined solely for the reception of the insane pronounced to be hopeless. We have already alluded to the fact, that the devoted and un¬ tiring efforts of the medical superintendents in our large institu¬ tions directed to the cure, and to the cure only, of the cases placed under their charge, have been the means of raising these establishments to the height of perfection they have attained. We have good reason to be proud of the present position of our national hospitals for the treatment of insanity. We are aware that the attention of our continental brethren is attracted to us; that they who formerly set us the example in the march of im¬ provement, are beginning to look upon this country as far in advance, and we hear of governments sending investigators over to report on our proceedings.* We sincerely trust that whatever enactments may receive the sanction of the legislature in the present session of Parliament, they may be so framed as to sti¬ mulate to increased exertion, and may have the effect of placing our benevolent institutions for the insane on a permanent footing of active benevolence and progressive improvement. We have devoted a considerable space to the due considera¬ tion of this most important branch of our subject. The attention of the Commissioners has naturally been arrested by it. They, finding our county establishments already overgrown in magni¬ tude, filled with cases deemed hopeless, the officers harassed with the increased weight of duty thrown upon them, and the institu¬ tions not yielding the amount of benefit to be expected, natu- * Gentlemen from Prussia, Belgium, and Austria have lately been com- missioned by their respective governments for this purpose.
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